National library collections case study

Transcripts - National library collections case study

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National Library- Collections.Storage system stacks up for The National Library.

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“These compactus units provide approximately 4,000 linear metres in the plant room. We definitely couldn’t get this amount of static shelving into that same area.”Finding additional space to house its them into storage space for the collections.expanding collection of seven million items Dexion recently completed the installationis an ongoing issue for the National Library of its new generation Power 3 Mobileof Australia. The storage stacks grow at a Storage System in a portion of the newrate of three kilometres annually, requiring 4th Floor Stack area.that amount of space to be found each year. “These compactus units provideAdrian La Palombara, Assistant Manager approximately 4,000 linear metres in theStack Services commented on the way plant room. We definitely couldn’t get thisthe National Library manages its ongoing amount of static shelving into that samestorage issue. area,” he said.“Since the mid 1980’s the Library has The new units will be used to house somebeen installing motorised mobile shelving of the Library’s Asian Collections whichsystems. This is a way of maximising the include material in Chinese, Japanese,storage capacity of our onsite storage Thai and Korean scripts.areas so we can cope with the continuing The Library currently houses some of itsgrowth of the collection,” he said. collection in two offsite facilities which are“Compared to static shelving we’ve found serviced by a shuttle, retrieval and deliverythat mobile storage systems can reduce service with a 90 minute turn around.the space requirements by up to half. Ongoing requirements will be addressedThe big advantage is not having an aisle when a new offsite storage facility isin between every range.” constructed late next year.Part of the Library’s storage strategy hasbeen to refurbish former plant rooms inthe main Library building and to convertDexion Case Study – National Library - Collections